Talking about election is not interference in internal affairs: US
US does not support one Bangladeshi political party over the other, said US Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller
The United States (US) does not see its desire to see free, fair, and inclusive elections in Bangladesh as interference in the country's internal affairs as deemed by Russia, said US Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller yesterday.
"I don't know why anyone would object to us calling for free and fair elections. And as I said in response to another question earlier, we don't consider it interference in internal affairs when other countries raise our elections process with us. We welcome those discussions as an opportunity to strengthen our democracy, and we don't know why any other countries would object," Miller said answering a question following a regular briefing on Monday (10 July).
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He also said the US does not support one Bangladeshi political party over the other.
"We do not support one political party over the other; we support a genuine democratic process," Miller said.
"I will note that the prime minister of Bangladesh has repeatedly stated her own commitment to free and fair elections. It's a desire that we share as a friend and partner of Bangladesh for over 50 years," he added.
Responding to a question about US Under Secretary Zeya and Assistant Secretary Lu visiting Bangladesh, he said: "The undersecretary will travel to Bangladesh from July 11th to the 14th. She will meet with senior government officials to discuss shared humanitarian concerns, including the Rohingya refugee crisis, labour issues, human rights, free and fair elections, and combating trafficking in persons."
"She will also engage with civil society leaders on freedom of expression and association, human labour rights – inclusive of vulnerable groups – and governance and democracy," the US state department spokesperson added.
Russia recently deemed US and EU politicians writing letters urging free and fair polls in Bangladesh as an act of "neocolonialism" and "blatant interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state."
"We have taken note of certain European and American politicians publishing letters calling for 'free and fair' elections in Bangladesh," the Russian foreign ministry tweeted on 6 July from its verified Twitter handle.
The tweet, which quoted the Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, also added: "This is neocolonialism and yet another attempt at blatant interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state."
Six US Republican congressmen wrote to US President Joe Biden On 25 May, calling for urgent actions to stop the "human rights abuses" by the Bangladesh government and "give the people of Bangladesh the best possible chance for free and fair parliamentary elections".
It was followed by six Members of the European Parliament writing to ask the EU High Representative Josep Borrell on 12 June to contribute to ensuring free, fair, and impartial general elections in Bangladesh.
On 13 June, six Democratic congressmen wrote to the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken calling for actions to ensure free and fair parliamentary elections in Bangladesh.
The US on May 24 announced visa restrictions on individuals and their immediate family members if they are responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh.
